What Cameron Wake says about going to the Pro Bowl

Miami Dolphins defensive end Cameron Wake has been selected as a starter to the 2013 AFC Pro Bowl squad. The annual contest matching the AFC and NFC will be played on Sunday, January 27, 2013 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii.

No other Dolphins player was named a starter or backup.

So what does Wake think about being names?

This:

(On how satisfying it is to be voted to the Pro Bowl for a second time) –“It’s truly amazing, truly an honor and I’m really blessed to be here in Miami, be surrounded by the kind of guys, the type of team, especially on this defense. (We have a) band of brothers and it kind of feels like an honor I’m accepting on behalf of a lot of other guys because I think they’re a lot of other guys who are obviously deserving. Obviously, I wouldn’t be here in this situation if it wasn’t for a lot of the plays they made throughout the season."

(On if there was much doubt in his mind that he would make the Pro Bowl) – “Well, I’m definitely one of those guys that I don’t count my chickens until they hatch. Growing up, I didn’t have chickens at home. It’s one of those things in the back of your mind you hope for. Throughout this season, I’ve kind of been concentrating on making sure week-in and week-out we get the job done. Those numbers and those kind of things kind of just take care of itself."

(On taking a teammate to the Pro Bowl two years ago when he made it and if there is anyone this year that will be going along with him) – “Well, I’m definitely going to take anybody who’s willing to go. A lot like I said earlier, I have a lot of guys to thank to even be in the situation I’m in – Coach (Kevin) Coyle on down to (Defensive Line) Coach Kacy (Rodgers) and then the guys I play with, play next to every Sunday. So there’s a lot of tickets I’m probably going to have to look into because there’s a lot of guys who helped me get where I am.”

(On if it’s a fair assessment that some players are not enthusiastic about playing in the Pro Bowl, but that is not the case with him) – “Definitely… To be able to selected is an amazing honor, an amazing accomplishment. You guys know my story – it wasn’t a walk in the park. It wasn’t a smooth road for me. I took the back roads to get where I am. I had to fight for everything and then to get this honor and kind of turn it down is something that I would never do. Not only am I excited to be representing the Miami Dolphins, but the icing on the cake was the story that I’ve had and, if you believe in yourself and you can fight and scratch and claw for dreams, anything can happen. I think that all kind of sums it up."

(On whether he would like to see the Pro Bowl continued) – “Of course, 100%. I’m 100% for it. I know there are a lot of guys who think about it that’s that part of their goals at the start of the season, and I just try to be one of those guys. It’s a total honor to be selected by the coaches and your fellow players, guys that you play against. So guys are saying, ‘you know what, I have a lot of respect for the way this guy plays the game.’ Obviously, this is someone who you’ve been trying to kill, and who has been trying to kill you all game, but at the end day, you should able to say, ‘you’re a heck of a competitor and I respect the way you play.’ Coaches are the same way. I think that’s something that you really can’t get anywhere else, and I’m all for keeping the game to honor and reward guys who go out there and do it the right way all season.”

(On the Arizona game where he had 4.5 sacks after not having a sack through the first three games) – “It’s always interesting, I mean I think back to that little stint and the fact is there is nothing more glorious and more glamorous than the sack in the pass rushing business, and I think it was something that you guys probably paid more attention to than I did. I went out there every play and gave it my all, and that’s the way pass rushing is. If you think about it, a great season is 15, 12 , 20 sacks or whatever it may be, but you think about how many times you don’t get there, how many times you’re not necessarily making a play. As a pass rusher you have to go out every time with that mentality that you’re going to make the play. It’s one of those situations if you’re getting the pressure, getting the hit, you’re getting the hurry or whatever it may be, people don’t talk about those as much, but at the end of the day it’s part of your job. I go out there and I don’t look at the stats or try to figure out how many tackles I have. I don’t care about any of that stuff. I just go out and say this play, I’m going to bring my best on this play and when it’s over I’m going to move on and do the same thing the next time."

(On how he feels about being among Dolphins’ greats like Bill Stanfill and Jason Taylor in terms of making multiple Pro Bowls as a defensive end) – “You’re the first to tell me about that. I didn’t even realize that, but I mean it’s one of the things that I guess for later on with the grand kids or whatever it may be down the line to say, ‘you know what, this is what I was,’ but I don’t even want to think about those things right now. I just go out there like I said, and to even be mentioned in the same company with those guys, obviously I know Jason Taylor pretty well playing with the guy, he’s an amazing player and an amazing person, and like I said just being in that situation and being able to play the game that I love and to be able to even step on the field. If you think about it, three or four years ago whoever thought I’d be sitting where I am now. In 2006 I was sitting on the couch watching the games, so to go from there to here is really an amazing feeling.”